Sunday, June 7, 2009

Should you write for free?

Did you ever get your hopes up only to have them dashed? That's what happened. I saw a call-out for several topics by a small publisher. I had stories for every upcoming theme, ready to go. I was so excited!I inquired about payment, and the editor responded that their funds go towards publishing and printing the books, but they would give a complimentary book to the authors.

I don't mind giving my work away to literary magazines, but when it comes to anthologies, I feel there must be some sort of compensation. I've paid my dues. It is strictly up to the individual writer, but I am at the point where if I don't value my own work, I think no one else will. Writing to rack up publication credits isn't always the wisest thing to do.

1 comment:

Julia Gordon-Bramer said...

Yeah, sometimes it almost seems like "Pay to Play"--as they say in the music circuit. Will they publish anyone willing to pay that's within the theme?

Catherine Rankovic wrote a good blog about writing for free some time last year. In my former marketing life, we always said how important price was to instill a sense of value. Free has no sense of value.

Do what feels right.